BuzzDanklin
Well-Known Member
I was told the heater was not modified, the performance should be identical to the one I have (maybe actually a bit better, due to the newer screen)
The Grasshopper
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Kalessin
Well-Known Member
That's what I've been told and am hoping, Buzz. Your Hopper still holding up well?
Doubtful they would release the 3D models for the heater, it's most likely patented. That's not to say someone couldn't make something similar given some pictures or diagrams of how it works.
More than likely the problem with the heaters is related to the printing process. I'm betting it's a very challenging print, and probably harder to print than the manufacturer expected. (Printing 1 or 2 at a time is one thing, making 50 a week is another).
The PCB's on the other hand are a mystery (or whatever "electronics" could mean). Those should already be finished, unless there were some last-minute programming changes.
Mrbinky
Well-Known Member
Well, if it is patented, then nothing is stopping anyone from printing one for their own use, if they could obtain the model. They just couldn't sell it.
SmokinMagic
Well-Known Member
I don't know much about electronics but I remember they said the unit has no wires, so maybe the other electronics are difficult to build?
HoustonGuide
Active Member
Seems to me there's a lot of masochism in this thread. A new conspiracy theory every day.
I'm a backer from November 2013, so I've been waiting longer than most of the people here. I'm not happy about it, but I'm not losing any sleep either. Worst case scenario is I'm out $129.00. Won't make me happy but it won't kill me.
Seems to me that Occam's Razor applies here. The simplest explanation is that the team are better engineers than business types and were wildly over-optimistic with their original shipping estimates. It's possible that they were deliberately over-optimistic to be sure that the original crowd funding effort was successful. Unless the updates are complete fiction, however, they seem to be working to overcome some unanticipated problems. If this was a total scam, or if they were willing to release a substandard product, I doubt it would have gone on this long, or that they would have put their names and faces on the Internet (I note that someone had checked them out and posted LinkedIn pages,etc. in the thread).
In any case, there is nothing I can do but wait. When I receive my unit, I'll post a review. Until then, I refuse to engage in self-flagellation. That's not my kink.
I'm a backer from November 2013, so I've been waiting longer than most of the people here. I'm not happy about it, but I'm not losing any sleep either. Worst case scenario is I'm out $129.00. Won't make me happy but it won't kill me.
Seems to me that Occam's Razor applies here. The simplest explanation is that the team are better engineers than business types and were wildly over-optimistic with their original shipping estimates. It's possible that they were deliberately over-optimistic to be sure that the original crowd funding effort was successful. Unless the updates are complete fiction, however, they seem to be working to overcome some unanticipated problems. If this was a total scam, or if they were willing to release a substandard product, I doubt it would have gone on this long, or that they would have put their names and faces on the Internet (I note that someone had checked them out and posted LinkedIn pages,etc. in the thread).
In any case, there is nothing I can do but wait. When I receive my unit, I'll post a review. Until then, I refuse to engage in self-flagellation. That's not my kink.
thank you
bounce5
Well-Known Member
Occam's razor is whispering to me that someone who makes judgemental comments about kinks and people's choices may not be the most credible predictor of people's motives in general.
Mr. Gweilo 420
Dude
At this stage it seems ridiculous to me that anyone would suggest that the Grasshopper is some kind of scam.
t-dub
Vapor Sloth
Right . . . obviously its not a scam, more of a misadventure of sorts IF things eventually turn out badly. I even posted earlier that I thought you guys would have functioning vapes and I still feel that one day you will. However this thread tasks me to think . . . outside the box . . . so-to-speak . . .
Edit: And one more thing. If they did change the heater/heat exchanger design, and it did impact performance, that means possibly a new round of testing will be in order . . . which will take time . . .
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BuzzDanklin
Well-Known Member
hippogriff
Well-Known Member
Yup, I'm just speculating, never printed metal, but I've used the highest end FDM printers and they can have rough spots - for the heaters they're printing an unmachineable part, with small, ascending, looping, tubes, that's a challenging print, wouldn't take much to clog the holes? [/speculation]
On PCB's, I'm not worried, that is distributed tech with plenty of competent suppliers. I think it's all about the heaters, either they're on the way as designed/ordered (at who knows what pace, "trickling"?) or they're not and the Grasshopper team is facing their biggest business challenge yet.
vapebuddy13
Your resident Super Hero
Im just confused how a problem/rough patch in producing the heaters can't be figured out and fixed without them changing everything (as people here are scurred about) For one they technically never said their original production amount (I believe) so we don't really know what they were supposed to be getting in or what they currently are. But even if it were the case that the problem meant 30 a week and was able to be fixed to 150 for example.... why is it that they HAD to have changed something? Is it not possible a solution that fixed the problem was found? Skepticism can be so irrational sometimes Like it has been said b4 these guys are engineers, not business folk. I feel the GH will be out, just at wonky intervals bc it will still be as solid as we expect/hope
Like it has been said b4 these guys are engineers, not business folk. I feel the GH will be out, just at wonky intervals bc it will still be as solid as we expect/hope
Scott A
Well-Known Member
I dont think the bigger problem is the speed of printing the heaters but the cost. At $40 a piece with everything else going in to making the vaporizer I dont see how they wouldnt have to take a loss on every IGG hopper sold.
The thing that is hard to believe is they some how made it faster and cheaper to manufacture all with out changing the design.
The thing that is hard to believe is they some how made it faster and cheaper to manufacture all with out changing the design.
<Wild Speculation>
The 3D printers used for these heaters (most likely SLS based technology, not FDM) are very expensive - hundreds of thousands of dollars each. It's likely the 11th hour talks Trevor and the team had with the heater manufacturer earlier this month regarded how many printers would be dedicated to manufacturing the heaters, how many can be printed at one time (per printer), and the post-production time required finishing of the part (cleaning the vapor path, etc). </Wild Speculation>
Believe me, the settings used to generate the GCode to control the printer and make the part has hundreds of variables. Every 3D printed part I sell has it's own print settings to ensure a quality print from copy to copy. Some parts like my Haze can cases went through 10-20 reprints with the same 3D model before I found the perfect print settings for my 3D printer.
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SmorezNTickles
It's real.
Mister G
Deceptively Old Fart
Ok, I'll throw my worthless 
into this and say I believe that heaters are going to be a problem, I do not think they will change the design and not deliver on expected performance, the big problem will be low manufacturing throughput extending delivery timeframes. I truly hope they are using "Lean Manufacturing" principles in their assembly design.
This thread is so morbidly fun, like a game within a game. It's the Game of Vapes. When you play the game of vapes you either vape or you die.
into this and say I believe that heaters are going to be a problem, I do not think they will change the design and not deliver on expected performance, the big problem will be low manufacturing throughput extending delivery timeframes. I truly hope they are using "Lean Manufacturing" principles in their assembly design.This thread is so morbidly fun, like a game within a game. It's the Game of Vapes. When you play the game of vapes you either vape or you die.
fonzerelli
Well-Known Member
The last two updates have seen me losing some faith, consequently, I've been reading up on the Goboof Alfa.
I'm confident I can get our hoppers shipped if I buy an Alfa now.
I'm confident I can get our hoppers shipped if I buy an Alfa now.
Occam's razor is whispering to me that someone who makes judgemental comments about kinks and people's choices may not be the most credible predictor of people's motives in general.
Commenting on someone's posting style is dangerous and risks starting a flame war, or perhaps a warning point, or both. Please don't.
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